Recycling centre trial sees 38k bookings so far
BBCA month since a council started a trial which means people have to book at some household recycling centres (HRCs), there have been 38,000 bookings.
Wiltshire Council - which is running the trial at six of its 10 HRCs - said about 60% of bookings are being made on the same day or the day before a visit.
Responses have been mixed, with some residents saying it is "brilliant" and others saying it has made disposing of waste more complicated.
The council said it wanted to improve queuing and reduce any stress in what had been a first-come-first-served system, and feedback would be taken on board before any final decision is made.
A request from the Local Democracy Reporting Service for people's views generated more than 100 responses.
Critics said the biggest drawback with the booking trial was losing the ability to make an unplanned trip.
Chris Jackson said: "I preferred the old system. When I've got some rubbish I get in the car and take it to the tip, I don't mind waiting. Now I've got to hold on to the rubbish and plan when I can go."
Some people have also questioned if the booking system is needed at quieter locations.
Maxine Dyer said: "I never had a problem with the old system and I don't remember having to queue for more than a few minutes."
Devizes Town Councillor Iain Wallis said residents who had spoken to him were "extremely unhappy", with some saying they planned to stop using recycling centres and break up rubbish to put it in their own black bins instead.
He said that for the HRC in Devizes, the booking system "is solving a problem that just didn't exist".
However, some residents have praised the new booking system.
Clare Travers said: "I think it's brilliant. {There is] no waiting, no dangerous queuing on the road and it is easy to use."
Another, Sean Grant, mentioned it was "long overdue at Stanton" - referring to the busy Stanton St Quintin site which serves a large area including Chippenham and is known for queues on the road outside.
Chippenham town councillor Declan Baseley said he wanted to "encourage residents to let them know your thoughts on whether you feel this has improved your experience or not".
Wiltshire Council said early results from the trial were positive, with same day and day before bookings showing residents can still use the system at short notice.
The council said it has also increased the capacity since it was first launched.
Samantha Howell, one of the council's corporate directors, said: "We are monitoring areas such as customer satisfaction, accessibility, queue times, fly-tipping, recycling rates, site usage and operational efficiency.
"Resident feedback is an important part of this evaluation."
The pilot is running until next spring so assessments can be made over busy periods, such as Christmas.
Additional reporting by Sophie Parker
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